Ignition indicator

ABSTRACT

In an electrical ignition system comprising a distributor and wires that connect to a plurality of igniters, an inventive device is provided which contains gas therein for indicating the operation of the ingition system due to periodic ionization of the gas that is illuminated by virtue of electromagnetic fields created by the ignition system. Such device may take a form of a plurality of cylindrical member interconnected by a web and made of glass or transparent plastic material. Such cylindrical members are filled with a gas of the class selected from neon, argon, zenon, or krypton, or mixtures thereof in view of ionization of such gases at low intensities of the electromagnetic fields. Such cylindrical device may optionally have extended therethrough a metallic rod for adaptation at either end of the rod to a distributor ignition port or for adaptation to an igniter cap, the other end of the rod being connected either to the distributor or to the igniter, as the case may be. A method is provided for evacuating the air in any of the cylindrical members and for pumping-in the gases, identified above, into hollow portions within the cylindrical members, and for providing closure of such ports as are used for evacuation or for pumping-in the gases. In any of the configurations described, these devices may be made as integral portions of a distributor cap by molding or adhesively attaching thereto.

United States Patent Gerry 1' Oct. 1, 1974 1 1 IGNITION INDICATOR [76] Inventor: Martin E. Gerry, 13452 Winthrop St., Santa Ana, Calif. 92705 22 Filed: July 12,1973

21 Appl. No.: 378,433

[52] US. Cl 324/17, 324/18, 315/132 [51] Int. Cl.. G011 13/42, G011 31/22, HOlj 1/60 [58] Field of Search 315/209 R, 131, 132; 324/18, 17; 313/93, 109, 318

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,907,069 5/1933 Heaton 315/132 X 2,278,084 3/1942 Mayeux et al. 324/18 2,374,197 4/1945 Hare 313/93 X 3,242,366 3/1966 Candelise et al. 324/17 X 3,267,324 8/1966 Harlow 324/18 X 3,348,087 10/1967 Smith 324/17 X 3,526,802 9/1970 Wainio 313/109 3,546,523 12/1970 Gilbert, .Ir 313/318 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 721,722 12/1931 France 324/18 39,866 12/1931 France 324/17 Primary Examiner-James W. Lawrence Assistant ExaminerT. N. Grigsby [5 7] ABSTRACT in an electrical ignition system comprising a distributor and wires that connect to a plurality of igniters, an inventive device is provided which contains gas therein for indicating the operation of the ingition sys tem due to periodic ionization of the gas that is illuminated by virtueof electromagnetic fields created by the ignition system. Such device may take a form of a plurality of cylindrical member interconnected by a web and made of glass or transparent plastic material. Such cylindrical members are filled with a gas of the class selected from neon, argon, zenon, or krypton, or mixtures thereof in view of ionization of such gases at low intensities of the electromagnetic fields. Such cylindrical device may optionally have extended therethrough a metallic rod for adaptation at either end of the rod to a distributor ignition port or for adaptation to an igniter cap, the other end of the rod being connected either to the distributor or to the igniter, as the case may be. A method is provided for evacuating the air in any of the cylindrical members and for pumpingin the gases, identified above, into hollow portions within the cylindrical members, and for providing closure of such ports as are used for evacuation or for pumping-in the gases. In any of the configurations described, these devices may be made as integral portions of a distributor cap by molding or adhesively attaching thereto.

13 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures IGNITION INDICATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is in a field of indicating devices to determine by visual indication, the operability of an ignition system.

No prior art wherein the visual indication of an ignition system by a device which is integral with such system, is known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In an electrical ignition system, comprising a distributor and connecting wires to a plurality of igniters, means, containing gas are provided, integral with said system for indicating operation of saidsystem due to periodic ionization of the gas illuminating said means. The means comprising a plurality of members are joined by a web. Each of said members contain said gas. The means may be integral with a portion of the distributor such as the distributor cap. Each member containing gas comprises a transparent envelope of glass or plastic material. Said gas is at least one constitutent selected from the class consisting of neon, argon, xenon and krypton. Said means may be a member containing the gas is adaptable to at least one of the connecting wires of the ignition system.

The means containing gas may be a cylindrical member having a metallic rod extending therethrough for interconnecting the rod between one of the wires of the ignition system and the distributor or for interconnecting the rod between one of the wires and one of the igniters. Any of the members containing gas may be an integral portion of the distributor, particularly of the distributor cap. The means containing gas may comprise a plurality of transparent members,,each member containing such gas, and each member being equally spaced from each other about the periphery of the distributor, and may be molded to or attached to the distributor cap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a composite, illustrated in perspective, of a standard ignitor distributor and showing an inventive device adaptable to such distributor, or integrable therewith.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken at plane 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the detailed structure of a cylindrical element of the inventive device, web portion thereof interconnecting such cylindrical elements and also showing the hollowed internal portion thereof in which gases are retained.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view taken at plane 33 of FIG. 2 showing one of the cylindrical elements and a portion of the web referred to in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a separate cylindrical element, generally of transparent material and hollowed internally and having ports for evacuation of air at injection of gas into the internal hollowed portion thereof, as well as having an aperture along its longitudinal axis.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of the cylindrical element of FIG. 4, taken at plane 5--5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a hollow cylindrical element, as described in FIG. 4, except that this figure has in addition a metallic member through its central longitudinal axis, wherein this metallic member also has bores or depressions at either end thereof for adaptation to an ignition system components.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section view, taken at plane 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of a distributor cap with a port thereof cut away to show a crosssection view of one of the cylindrical elements, such as one referred to in FIG. 4, circumjacent one of the ports of the distributor cap.

FIG. 9 is an electro-mechanical schematic shown for the most part in perspective in order to illustrate the various modes of operability of the inventive device.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. l-9, an electrical ignition system, comprising a distributor 30 driven by engine shaft 10, and connecting wires 18, 20, 22 and 24 to a plurality of igniters 19, 21, 23 and 25 which are grounded to the engine as at 29, has provided or adapted thereto means 40, 50, 60 or 81 containing gas integral with said system for indicating operation of said system due to periodic ionization of the gas illuminating said means. The distributor normally comprises lower member 31 through which shaft 10 extends, and distributor cap 32 which has parts 34 and metallic inserts 16 molded or attached inside ports 34 that extend into the inside portion of distributor cap 31.

Shaft 10 is normally coupled to rotatable insulating member 11 that has molded thereto electrically conductive member 12. Member 12 normally will be the means by which the source of high voltage energy is distributed to the various spark plugs or igniters in a manner conventional in the art and need not be discussed in detail herein. Member 11 will also be molded partially to metallic member 13. Metallic member 13 will usually be a spring-loaded contractor that will effect electrical continuity with member 12. The source of high voltage energy being provided by wire 17, which is connected to a coil for providing the high voltage ignition in a conventional manner, will make contact with a recess 15 in member 13. In this way, as shaft 10 is rotated by the engine, the high voltage energy is distributed in sequence to igniters 19, 21, 23 and 25 providing energy respectively through wires 18, 20, 22 and 24 to the igniters with ground or power return provided at 29.

In referring to FIG. 9 which particularly shows operation of the inventive device of FIGS. 4 0r 6 adapted or used in different ways, FIG. 9 shows that igniter 19 is connected directly to the recess 16 in member 14 with no inventive device used in this part of the circuit. But igniter 21 that is connected by means of wire 20 to its counterpart member 14 at recess 16 therein has wire 20 extending through the axis 52 of the device such as illustrated by FIGS. 4 and 5, and therefore shows such device at 26. Igniter 23 is connected by means of wire 22 to the inventive device as illustrated by FIGS. 6 and 7 where one end of wire 22 is inserted in port of one end of metallic member 64 whereas the other end of member 64 is inserted in depression 16 of one of the terminals 14 of the distributor cap, and hence use of such inventive device is illustrated at 27. Igniter 25 has its metallic cap inserted and connected into one of the ports 65 of the device shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the other port 65 of this device being used to adapt and insert therein one end of wire 24, the other end of wire 24 being inserted into depression 16 of one of the metallic members 14 embedded in the distributor cap. Therefore, it can be seen that upon supplying energy to any of the igniters when one of the inventive devices is used in the ignition circuit, such as ignition wires extending therethrough, one of the devices attached to the igniter directly or adapted to a port of the distributor cap, the electrical energy by virtue of the ignition action creates an electromagnetic field that ignites the gas internal such device in accordance with the pulsing action of the ignition pulse energizing the igniter. Hence, during satisfactory operative conditions therein, indication that a particular igniter is firing properly or that such portion of the ignition system is operating satisfactorily is provided by visual observation of ignition of the gas due to periodic pulsing and gas ignition in such inventive device, by the pulsing of the electromagnetic energy induced therein by normal ignition action. 7

Therefore, in accordance with this invention it would be desirable to use a gas such as neon, argon, xenon, krypton or mixtures thereof due to low ignition energies required.

One manner of constructing the inventive device is to provide an adaptor as at 40 which may be constructed of glass or a transparent plastic. Adaptor 40 comprises a web portion 41 that joins hollow cylindrical members 42. Each member 42 can be provided with sealable ports 42a and 42b for exhausting the residual air therein and for pumping in one or more of the gases therethrough, respectively. After each operation of exhausting air or pumping gas the respective port may be sealed by fusing the entry to ports 42a and 42b. Web 41 has an aperture 45 at its center to admit port 33 of the distributor cap, whereas each of cylindrical members 42 have apertures 44 at their respective axes for admitting ports 34 of the distributor cap. In each members 42 a cavity 43 is provided in which the pumped-in gas is permanently retained.

With respect to each cylindrical member as at 50 having outer wall 51, such member may be most conveniently used in connection with an ignition wire extending through aperture 52 for providing the requisite field to energize the gas in cavity 53. As in the former instance, air is evacuated through port 51a and this port is sealed, and gas pumped-in through port 51b and this port is then sealed.

With respect to each of cylindrical member as at 60, this cylindrical member having outer wall 61, aperture 62 at its axis, and air evacuation port 61a and gas injection port 61b, is identical to member 50 with outer wall 51, aperture 52 and ports 51a and 51b. The only addition to member 60 is metallic rod 64 extending through aperture 62. Rod 64 has depressions or ports 65 at either end thereof for adaptation to the cap of an igniter at one end, and for insertion of an ignition wire in the other end in port 65, as the case may be, in accordance with the manner of use described in connection with the various adaptions shown in FIG. 9.

Another manner of utilizing the inventive device, particularly as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is illustrated by FIG. 8. Therein the device denoted at 81 is shown molded to or adapted to port 34 member of the distributor cap 32 at interface 85. Of course member 81 may be an integral portion of the distributor cap, so that if the distributor cap is made of pyrex glass or of polystyrene for instance, member 81 may be molded at the same time and share a common wall such as the wall of port 34 with that of member 81. In any event a chamber or hollow portion as at 83 is provided in member 81. Naturally, as many members 81 as there are igniters or ports 34 are provided for each such integrated cap. In FIG. 8, such integrated cap is shown, in-part, partially cut away to show how member 14 with depression 16 therein is molded within each port 34.

With respect to device 40, this device can be integrated or attached to distributor cap 32 by providing an adhesive layer between the upper surface of the distributor cap and the under surface of device 40, or these two surfaces may be molded to each other by use of appropriate molding process.

Therefore, means 40 may comprise a plurality of members 42 joined by a web 41 where each of said members contain said gas in hollow portions 43. Means 40 may be integral with a surface of distributor cap 32, and may comprise transparent envelopes 42 as well as web 41. The hollow transparent envelopes containing gas may also comprise means 50, 60 or 81. Hollow cylinders 50 or 60 may have metallic rod 64 extending therethrough for interconnecting the rod between one of the wires 22 and the distributor as at 27 or for interconnecting the rod between one of the wires 24 and one of the igniters, as at 28. Means 81 may be integral with distributor cap 32 by means 81 being molded or otherwise attached at interface 85 to distributor cap port 34. Means 81 may be of glass or transparent plastic material, and have provided sealable ports such as 51a and 51b (not shown) for evacuation of air, injection of the gas therein and sealing by melting or fusing the sealable ports to retain the gas therein. Means 81 may comprise a plurality of such transparent members, each member containing said gas and each member being equally spaced from each other about the periphery of the distributor cap.

I claim:

1. In an electrical ignition system, comprising a distributor and connecting wires to a plurality of igniters;

a hollow sealed member having an aperture there through, said member being of transparent material and containing gas therein, said aperture surrounding one of said connecting wires, said gas being ionizable by the electromagnetic field surrounding said one of the wires when its connected igniter is firing.

2. The invention as stated in claim 1, wherein:

said gas is at least one constituent selected from the class consisting of neon, argon, xenon and krypton.

3. In an electrical ignition system, comprising a distributor and connecting wires to a plurality of igniters:

means containing gas integral with said system for indicating operation of of said system due to periodic ionization of the gas illuminating said means, said means being a member containing said gas and having a metallic rod extending therethrough for interconnecting the rod between one of the wires and the distributor or for interconnecting the rod between one of the wires and one of the igniters.

4. The invention as stated in claim 3, wherein:

said member comprises a transparent envelope.

5. The invention as stated in claim 3, wherein:

said gas is at least one constituent selected from the class consisting of neon, argon, xenon and krypton.

9. The invention as stated in claim 3:

said means comprising a plurality of said members joined by a web where each of said members contain said gas.

10. The invention as stated in claim 9:

said means being integral with a portion of the distributor.

11. The invention as stated in claim 9, wherein:

said means comprises a transparant envelope.

12. The invention as stated in claim 9, wherein:

said gas is at least one constituent selected from the class consisting of neon, argon, xenon and krypton.

13. In an electrical ignition system having a distributor and connecting wires to a plurality of igniters, comprising in combination:

a plurality of hollow sealed members of transparent material containing gas therein, each of the members having an aperture therethrough; and

a web joining each of the members, said web providing spacing between said members at regular intervals for adaptation of said members t0 said distributor. 

1. In an electrical ignition system, comprising a distributor and connecting wires to a plurality of igniters; a hollow sealed member having an aperture therethrough, said member being of transparent material and containing gas therein, said aperture surrounding one of said connecting wires, said gas being ionizable by the electromagnetic field surrounding said one of the wires when its connected igniter is firing.
 2. The invention as stated in claim 1, wherein: said gas is at least one constituent selected from the class consisting of neon, argon, xenon and krypton.
 3. In an electrical ignition system, comprising a distributor and connecting wires to a plurality of igniters: means containing gas integral with said system for indicating operation of of said system due to periodic ionization of the gas illuminating said means, said means being a member containing said gas and having a metallic rod extending therethrough for interconnecting the rod between one of the wires and the distributor or for interconnecting the rod between one of the wires and one of the igniters.
 4. The invention as stated in claim 3, wherein: said member comprises a transparent envelope.
 5. The invention as stated in claim 3, wherein: said gas is at least one constituent selected from the class consisting of neon, argon, xenon and krypton.
 6. The invention as stated in claim 3: said means being integral with the distributor.
 7. The invention as stated in claim 6, wherein: said means comprises a plurality of transparent members, each member containing said gas and each member being equally spaced from each other about the periphery of the distributor.
 8. The invention as stated in claim 6, wherein: said gas is at least one constituent selected from the class consisting of neon, argon, xenon and krypton.
 9. The invention as stated in claim 3: said means comprising a plurality of said members joined by a web where each of said members contAin said gas.
 10. The invention as stated in claim 9: said means being integral with a portion of the distributor.
 11. The invention as stated in claim 9, wherein: said means comprises a transparant envelope.
 12. The invention as stated in claim 9, wherein: said gas is at least one constituent selected from the class consisting of neon, argon, xenon and krypton.
 13. In an electrical ignition system having a distributor and connecting wires to a plurality of igniters, comprising in combination: a plurality of hollow sealed members of transparent material containing gas therein, each of the members having an aperture therethrough; and a web joining each of the members, said web providing spacing between said members at regular intervals for adaptation of said members t0 said distributor. 